Peter Richards

In this project, students will fill in NCAA March Madness brackets and then analyze them using historical data to find the probability of different outcomes. They will also use a random number table and the historical results of the tournament to fill out a mathematical bracket. This project is perfect if you can time your lessons on probability with the March Madness tournament.

In this activity, students solve systems of equations by graphing them onto a coordinate plane (wilderness) full of turkeys. The students will "hunt" the turkeys by graphing each equation and then finding the point of intersection for each pair of equations. The points of intersection land on a different turkey's head each time, thus signifying a "direct hit". This activity is great to do right before Thanksgiving. The turkeys are labeled A, B, C, etc., but the students often like to give them c

Students will build a mechanism using given supplies to launch a ping pong ball. The goal of the project is to make the launcher consistent so that they can write an accurate quadratic equation to model the path of their ping pong ball. Students will then predict how long it will take their ping pong ball to hit the ground after being launched from the top of the bleachers. This project helps students better understand how to write a quadratic equation based on real projectile motion, why findi

This WKST has students perform four basic transformations on an object: translating, reflecting, rotating, and dilating. They will perform these transformations on the same object on the same graph and will write the coordinates of each point in its final position.

This is a great worksheet to practice solving systems of linear equations by graphing close to the Christmas season. Encourage your students to help Santa find his reindeer by graphing the lines in each box - the lines will intersect at the location of a unique reindeer. The students must figure out which lines lead to which reindeer. I usually give my students one full class period to start (working with a partner) and assign whatever they do not complete as homework.

This is a collection of worksheets that have students practicing how to distribute into a polynomial, multiply polynomials together, find GCFs between several terms, factor GCFs out of polynomials, and factoring polynomials. Titles of Worksheets Included: Distributing with numbers and variables Identifying degree and number of terms in polynomials Simplifying polynomials (Distributing and Collecting like terms) Multiplying Binomials Multiplying a binomial by a trinomial Finding the GCF between

In this project, students pick any item from their home or backpack (or wherever) and find the volume of this object. The object must be composite, however, so they will need to combine multiple formulas for the volume of several objects to find the objects true volume. The project includes an example for students to follow, as well as a handout to give them for their project.

In this activity, students will have to use the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate how much wood Bob the Builder will need to build his barn. They are given a cross-frame of the structure, but the drawing only has a few measurements, so they will have to use the Pythagorean Theorem and some creative thinking to solve for the unknown lengths.

Extra practice converting between units and converting rates. Students are given an initial measurement and must convert it into the units requested.

An excel spreadsheet set up for you to be able to enter in team/player names, who beat whom, and then be able to instantly track who is at the top of the power rankings. The formula not only keeps track of how many wins and losses each team/player has, but also takes into account who they beat and gives more points to the teams/players that have wins against better teams/players. If you are a coach or a club advisor, this can be very helpful - I use it personally for my tennis team and chess clu

In this activity, students will apply what they know about how to add/subtract numbers in scientific notation, as well as concepts they have learned about exponents, in order to gather statistical data about planets in our solar system. This activity also has students look up and research a star/planet outside our solar system and find information to perform similar calculations.

Students observe Mike's Investment Portfolio to see how he is growing (or decaying) the money he made over the summer. Students will use exponential functions to figure out how much money he made or lost on each investment, and will calculate how much money he has at the end of 3 years. This activity provides good practice for students learning how to use exponential functions including the compound interest formula.